Peter Mandelson Fired as US Ambassador After Jeffrey Epstein Links

Peter Mandelson has been withdrawn as Britain’s ambassador to the United States with immediate effect after fresh revelations about his ties to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.

On September 11, 2025, Labour minister Stephen Doughty told the House of Commons that newly uncovered emails showed Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein was “materially different” from what was known at the time of his appointment.

One of the revelations included a handwritten message that Mandelson wrote in Epstein’s 50th birthday book, where he called him “my best pal.” In the Commons, Doughty added that Mandelson had even suggested Epstein’s first conviction was wrongful and should be challenged.

Mandelson, a veteran Labour politician who was appointed ambassador earlier this year, admitted he knew Epstein well but described the revelations as “very embarrassing.” Speaking to The Sun, he explained that his comments in the birthday book were written before Epstein’s indictment and insisted he never had a business relationship with him.

The decision to withdraw him highlights the seriousness of political and diplomatic accountability when dealing with high-level appointments. With Epstein’s past already causing global controversy, the revelation of close ties has forced the UK government to act swiftly.

This is a developing story, and further updates are expected from the Foreign Office in the coming hours.